Hi all,

Living up here in MA is getting old. high taxes, poor roads and too many months of not being able to ride. Thinking about retirement in a few years and want to start doing some planning.

Thinking of the Phoenix area and looking for info about the weather, riding conditions, good areas to live in etc... Best plan is to retire in about 6 years. (Hopefully 55 out the door)

Thanks in advance

 

I'll give it a shot. I live in Mesa which is a suburb of Phoenix, housing is reasonable since the market went south - but wasn't bad before that.

Year 'round riding, everything from flat desert, to high desert to mountains and pine trees. Elevations from sea level to over 9,000 ft. Snow in the high country during the winter. Temps exceeding 110 degrees in the Phoenix areas during the summer months, overnight lows don't get much below freezing during the winter months.

Property taxes are not bad, but they make up for it with vehicle registration fees that are based on the value of the vehicle.

Handgun open carry and concealed carry are legal without a permit, except where posted otherwise. Concealed carry permits are available that will allow you to carry in reciprocating states - which does not include the left coast (California, Oregon and Washington).

Some great roads to ride and scenery to take in. California, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Utah and Colorado are each less than a day ride away. You can check out some of the area rides here:

http://www.cyclerides.com/ Click on Day Rides and scroll down the page.

If you get a chance to come out give us a shout and we'll be happy to show you around.

 

Well you sure as hell don't want to come out here to California. Damn libs have ruined this state. I am thinking of Arizona when the time comes to retire. I had an Uncle that lived outside Prescott and he loved it there.

 

Thanks for the info, it is appreciated.

 

Prescott is nice in the summer. Temps are 20 degrees cooler than Phoenix. It snows in Prescott, so be aware. We can even ski during the winter up north near Flag.

I ride even when it is 110+. Heat doesn't bother me. Coming from Michigan. you don't have to shovel Sun Shine and we have a lot of it. I do not miss grey sky at all.

License Plates are expensive per-say. I bet they are higher or the same where you live currently.

I live in Surprise, near Sun City. My property taxes are 1200-1500 per year. when I lived in Ann Arbor Michigan, they were 5500-6200 per year.

My Lic plates in Michigan were 50.00 per year, here they are about 200.00. More than enough to offset the property taxes alone.